We hope you enjoyed the March 2023 issue of This Awful Awesome Life. Many thanks to Lilly Kauffman, Orlando Bartro, and Linda Cahill for their contributions to each issue.
The edits for my manuscript, Everything In-Between, are complete and waiting for my approval.
I’m excited to announce that Francis Cleetus is designing the cover art.
My tremendously talented friend has been featured in This Awful Awesome Life, and I am so fortunate to be able to collaborate with him.
Formatting and publishing are next, and you will see advertisements on Amazon soon. I’ll make an announcement on social media prior to its release.
My bathroom reno project is in full swing. The new bathtub is in, and the walls are being tiled. Everything for the project has arrived except the matte black shower rod.
The theme for this issue is growth and renewal. We’re celebrating the coming of spring, Earth Day, Passover, and Easter.
World Autism Awareness Day is April 2, 2023. Please take a moment to go online and learn about Autism Spectrum Disorder which impacts the lives of more than 75 million people worldwide.
How can we become better stewards of this Earth and better human beings? Let’s start with one deed or act of kindness at a time. They add up and the best part is you don’t have to keep score. It’s not a contest. You become a better person by being one. It’s just that simple.
This month I reviewed Devil in a Coma by Mark Lanegan and his memoir, Sing Backwards and Weep. For those of you not familiar with Mark Lanegan, he was the lead singer and primary songwriter for the grunge band, Screaming Trees. He was also a member of Queens of the Stone Age and The Gutter Twins. Lanegan who struggled with addiction for much of his life and career passed away last year after achieving ten years clean and sober and surviving COVID-19. Devil in a Coma recounts his battle with COVID and how this brush with death forced him to come to terms with memories of his troubled past. In his memoir, Sing Backwards and Weep, he talks about growing up in Washington and becoming part of the Seattle music scene. Lanegan is brutally honest about his struggles with anger issues, drugs, and alcohol. After several unsuccessful attempts, he managed to put his life in order and resurrect the career he spent so much time sabotaging. Lanegan was a gifted singer, musician, and writer. His personal victory over addiction is inspiring.
“What’s in a Word?” explores Planet Word in Washington D.C., the fascinating museum that explores language.
“Dare to Believe,” is proud to feature Loren Eiseley and Anne Bradstreet two writers from different eras who overcame hardships.
Our April 2023 salad in “The Twelve Months of Salad” is Spring Salad with Edamame, Cucumbers. Snow Peas and Tofu Croutons. It's easy to make and has the perfect colors for spring.
Linda Cahill shares delicious recipes courtesy of The Pampered Chef. These dishes are ideal for Passover, Easter, or any time you gather with family and friends. Linda and her husband Joe will be leaving the Pittsburgh area and moving close to Anna Maria Island in Florida. We wish them well and we have a special send-off for them in this issue. Don’t miss our quiz, what’s streaming, and our reading recommendations for kids and adults. Also, check out our Author page, April in Pictures, and our preview of the May issue.
The 2023 elections will include gubernatorial and state legislative elections in a few states and numerous citizen initiatives, mayoral races, and local offices. Senatorial and presidential hopefuls will begin campaigning for the 2024 elections which should give you time to start the vetting process. Please keep showing up and voting. We will never tell you who to vote for, but we will keep telling you to vote and do your homework! Vet all candidates and insist that all political parties do the same. Vote for the candidates who are the most qualified and who will safeguard our democracy.
Samantha Sayers has been missing since she disappeared on August 1, 2018, after a day of solo hiking at Vesper Peak near Seattle, Washington. Sam grew up in the Erie, Pennsylvania area where her parents Ron and Lisa still live. Her family is exploring all avenues of inquiry to find and bring her home. In the face of such an enormous challenge, they have chosen hope. Please keep sending positive thoughts to Sam and her family. As promised, we will be displaying a yellow ribbon for Sam on the opening page of each issue of This Awful Awesome Life until she is home.
If you are a person of faith, please pray for her safe return to her family. Because we are an online publication, we can update this article with any news. We will also post information on our Facebook page. Thank you!
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Happy Reading,
Fran